Charles Dickens is known as the most popular novelist of English Literature. His full name was Charles John Huffar Dickens. He was born on February 7, 1812, in posts mount on the southern coast of England. His father’s name was John Dickens and his mother’s name was Elizabeth Dickens. The famed British author was the second of eight children. His father John Dickens was a novel clerk who dreamed of striking it rich Charles’s mother, Elizabeth barrow aspired to be a teacher and school director.

Biography of Charles Dickens


Early life and education of Charles Dickens

Despite his parents best efforts the family remained poor. Charles  father sent to prison for debt in 1824, when Charles was just 12 years old. Following his father’s imprisonment, Dickens was forced to leave school to work at a boot-blacking Factory alongside the river, Thames. Owing to the unsatisfactory financial position of the family, he had to spend his childhood under the shadow of economic insecurity. He was send to work a factory, where for six shilling a week he had to stick labels on pots. He had to spend the time of utter misery, humiliation and despair. He could never shake off the memory of that horrible period.

When dickens grew up, he becomes a clerk in a solicitor’s office. Then after some time he become a reporter for several papers, and in that capacity he entered the House of Commons. During all these difficulties, Dickens had been trying his hand at writing short and long tales and articles for the Newspapers. He began his writing career as a journalist, and all his novels were published serially in periodicals, especially in two edited himself—Household words started in 1850, and All the Year Round , started in 1859, both of them weeklies. He started his career in writing in 1833. At the age of 25 Dickens become the greatest novelist of the Victorian age. In 1837, he married Miss Catherine Hogarth. He was appointed the chief Editor of the Daily News but left in three weeks. Later he was appointed the editor of Household Words.

His overflowing irresistible humour, his light –heated irony, his unsurpassed descriptive power, his autobiographical touch endeared him to all classes, of his readers. Dickens died on June 9, 1870. at the time of death , he was working on “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, psychological thriller.

Dickens was a British novelist, journalist, editor, illustrator, and social commentator who wrote such beloved classic novels as Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A tale of two cities and Great expectation.


Dickens' literary works: -

He was a great novelist . And it is said that his novel belong entirely to the humanitarian movement of the Victorian age, of which they are indeed, in the area of fiction, by far the most important work and expression.

Novels of Dickens:- an acquaintance with major works

The Pickwick Paper

The Pickwick Papers (Monthly numbers, April 1836 to November 1837) is Charles Dickens’ novel. It is also known as “The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club”.

The novel is a sequence of adventures though they are loosely related. Samuel Pickwick, Esquire is the central character. He is the Founder of the Pickwick Club.

Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist (Monthly serial in Bentley’s miscellany February 1837 to April 1839 in 24 instalments) is Charles Dickens‘s novel. It is also known as “The Parish Boys progress “. It offers a story of an orphan, Oliver Twist . Twist is brought up in a workhouse. The workhouse is dominated by Bumble, the parish beadle. Bumble is cruel. Oliver Twist is 1st child Protagonist in English novel. It is a social novel.  

The main theme of Oliver Twist is Pathos and innocence of the child. It is s study in crime and villainy. Poetic Justice is flowing.

 

The Old Curiosity Shop

Nell Trent is the main protagonist of this novel. She is an orphan child. The old Curiosity Shop (Weekly serial in master Humpherey’s Clock, April 25, 1840 to February 6, 1841) is the most sentimental of all Dickens’s novel. This is the story of a girl Nell Trent and her grandfather. She passes her life in the gloomy atmosphere of the old curiosity shop. The shop is kept by her grandfather. Daniel Quilp is the villain of this story.

 

A Tale of Two Cities

This is the second historical novel of Charles Dickens. It is the story of two cities named, London and Paris . the scence swift from one country to another country . it has the well knit plot. The opening line of this novel is - “It is the best of time, It is the worst of time.”  It deals with the French Revolution.

 

Martin Chuzzlewit

This novel tells us the life and adventure of Martin Chuzzlewit . it is a picaresque novel . the theme of the novel is greed and selfishness. This novel is dedicated to ‘Angela Georgina, a friend of Dickens.

 

Dombey and Son

In this novel we see the gender partiality. Dombey after his son’s death ( Paul) neglect his daughter ( Florence) .This novel  is based on social conflict ..

Hard Times

Dickens’ hard times for these Times which is commonly known as Hard Times takes English Society into focus and also satirises social and economical condition of the time

Great Expectations

This is the story of an orphan child named, Pip (Phillip Pirrip) . The main character of this novel is Pip. He loves Estella, the step daughter of Miss Havisham. Pip lives with his sister and brother in law. G.B. Shaw praised this novel.  

David Copperfield

The original title of this novel is “ The Personal History , Adventure , Experience and Observation of David Copperfield  the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery”. It is an autobiographical novel of Dickens.This story is related to David, Hero of this novel. This story is actually, the life and adventure of the novelist himself.Dickens himself likeed the novel .

Huge Walker said about this novel that-  “ The pen which wrote David Copperfield was often dipped in his own blood.”   

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

This is the unfinished work of Charles dickens.

Nicholas Nickleby

Barnaby Rudge

American Notes

A Christmas carol

Bleak House

Little Dorrit

 

Other works and novellas:

  • The Chimes
  • The Cricket on the Hearth
  • The Battle of Life
  • The Haunted Man and the Ghosts Bargain
  • A Christmas Carol

Sketches and Tales

Sketches of Young Gentlemen

Sketches of Young Couples

The Uncommercial Traveller

George Silverman’s Explanation


Plays

The Strange Gentleman and the Village Coquettes

Mr. Nightingale’s Diary ( with Mark Lemon )

No Thoroughfare (with Wilkie Collins)


Miscellaneous

A Child’s History of England